A really unique album from Yugoslavian group Angel's Breath – one recorded in Brazil, which might come as no surprise, given that one of the members of the duo is Mitar Subotic Suba – who you'll also know from his groundbreaking album Sao Paulo Confessions! Suba got his start in Serbia, but was crucial in the Brazilian advances in the 90s before his too-early death in 1999 – and the record's definitely got some of the same appeal as the best music of the scene from Chico Science or Arnaldo Antunes – especially in the way it uses offbeat guitar lines, crispy electronics, and unusual rhythms next to lyrics that often feel as poetically experimental as they are tuneful! The whole thing's very difficult to describe, but that really gives it a hell of a lot of charm – and if it were not for the turmoil in Yugoslavia at the time, the set might have seen bigger global attention from the same cultural scene who were embracing Brazilian experiments of the period. Titles include "Madalena", "Velvet", "Caura", "Assassino", "Aplauzi", "40 Seconds Of Love", and "Metak". (Rock, Brazil) LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from the Verve bossa years – a session that features the sweet tenor sax work of Stan Getz, alongside some swinging bossa arrangements from the great Gary McFarland! Given the strength of Gary's own work for Verve at the time, it's no surprise that he's a perfect accompanist for Getz on the session – working with just the right amount of space to let Stan stand out from the pack, and really creating a great blend of Brazilian rhythms and some of the modder 60s styles at Verve. Gary contributed a number of originals to the session too – and titles include "Bim Bom", "Manlancolico", "Balanco No Samba", "Noite Triste", "Chega De Saudade", and "Manha De Carnival". (Jazz, Brazil) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest records ever cut by Ze Rodrix, as you might guess from the image on the cover – very different than some of his more staid recordings on the Brazilian scene, and instead a very dynamic soundtrack that's full of funky moments! Ze's clearly got the bug of the American and European scenes of the period, but he's not aping Italian cop/crime or US blacksploitation – as his use of funky elements comes across in all these different ways, with plenty of mad rhythms, unusual arrangements, offbeat production, and even a strange sense of pacing that makes the whole record a treasure trove of surprise delights! There's some especially great use of keyboards, but that's just the tip of the iceberg – and titles include "Motoqueiros", "Esconderijo", "Rhumba", "Tema De Amor", "Esquadrao Da Morte", and "Chorinho Pro Tio". CD

One of the coolest records ever cut by Ze Rodrix, as you might guess from the image on the cover – very different than some of his more staid recordings on the Brazilian scene, and instead a very dynamic soundtrack that's full of funky moments! Ze's clearly got the bug of the American and European scenes of the period, but he's not aping Italian cop/crime or US blacksploitation – as his use of funky elements comes across in all these different ways, with plenty of mad rhythms, unusual arrangements, offbeat production, and even a strange sense of pacing that makes the whole record a treasure trove of surprise delights! There's some especially great use of keyboards, but that's just the tip of the iceberg – and titles include "Motoqueiros", "Esconderijo", "Rhumba", "Tema De Amor", "Esquadrao Da Morte", and "Chorinho Pro Tio". LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning work from Lucas Arruda – a record we love even more than his first – and we totally loved that one to death! The sound here is prime Brazilian 70s at its best – that magical moment when jazz, fusion, and older bossa-schooled styles all came together in a really unique blend – and also helped Brazil find its own unique sense of soul, too – a quality that really came forth in the best work from Azymuth and Marcos Valle at the end of the decade! No surprise, Lucas has Azymuth bassist Alex Malheiros and Valle collaborator Leon Ware both on board to help out with the record – but the strength of the set is clearly all Arruda's own – as his vocals are wonderful, with a soulful expression that's vaguely in the Ed Motta side of the spectrum – mixed with his own warm lines on Fender Rhodes, which totally warm things up! Production is perfect, and equally vintage – and the album's a treasure we'll be loving for years. Titles include "Uma Onda", "Melt The Night", "Vento Sul", "Kalunga", "Solar", "O Mar O Samba E O Sol", "Beyond The Sea", and "Agua". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from Lenine – easily his best album so far, and that's saying a lot, given the quality of the other sets! This one is landmark, though – the kind of record that seems to push Lenine even further into the stratosphere of MPB, recorded live and delivered with a depth that almost rivals the greatness of Caetano Veloso or Gilberto Gil during the 1970s! The set was recorded in Paris, where Lenine's found a very welcoming audience – and it's got a relaxed, intimate feel that's quite different than the tighter production of his studio albums. Instrumentation is a mix of electric and acoustic, mostly in a guitar-based mode – but there's a magically flowing sense of soul to the whole thing that's really sublime – the sort of perfect songwriting and delivery that grabs us instantly, even if we can't understand the full translations of the tunes. Consider this one global soul at its best – the kind of record that shows that boundaries can still be broken in the 21st century, even without clever tricks, gimmicks, or trashy marketing. A real delight all the way through – and one that really caught us by surprise! Titles include "Do It", "Ninguem Faz Ideia", "Todos Os Caminhos", "Sentimental", "Virou Areia", "Anna E Eu", "Rosebud", and "Vivo". CD

A new record by the legendary Sergio Mendes – bursting into the 21st century on a catchy wave of Will I Am production – reworking gems from the Brazilian songbook and more with guest appearances by Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, India Arie, Black Thought, Chali 2Na, Marcelo D2, John Legend and others! Will I Am has been annoying hip hop purists for years thanks to the relentless candy-coated pop gloss of recent Black Eyed Peas records – but he brings an intelligent, reverent and educated approach to the Brazilian keys legend Sergio Mendes – whose familiar grooves are a lovely accomplice to the sparkling hip hop/pop background. The guest stars seem to be here out of genuine love of the music – and provide far more graceful appearances than we would have expected! A very sweet surprise with bright, warm, and lovely moments – almost good enough for us to forgive Will I Am for "My Humps"! Tracks include "Mas Que Nada" feat Black Eyed Peas, "Berimbau/Consolacao" feat Stevie Wonder & Gracinha Leporace, "That Heat" feat Erykah Badu & Will I Am, "Let Me" feat Jill Scott & Will I Am, "Please Baby Don't" feat John Legend, "Samba Da Bencao" feat Marcelo D2, "Yes, Yes, Y'All" feat Black Thought, Chali 2Na & others and much more! CD

Man! This one's a stunning 70s set from the great Cal Tjader – a set that features Charlie Byrd on guitar, and some especially great electric piano lines from Mike Wolff – which makes for a cool electric/acoustic combination that really sends the album home nicely! The record's light years away from Byrd's Brazilian work of the 60s, or any of his mellower dates from later years – and Tjader really seems to have picked up a freer sense of rhythm from the Airto/Flora generation, which is no surprise, given their prominence on his local Bay Area scene. Other players include John Heard on bass, Joe Byrd on electric bass, and percussion from Mike Stephans, Dick Berk, and Mayuto Correa – all players who help change out the bottom grooves nicely from track to track. Titles include Joe Henderson's "Black Narcissus", Airto's "Tambo In 7/4" and "San Francisco River", Jobim's "Tereza My Love", Wolff's "Sad Eyes", and a version of "My Cherie Amour". (Jazz, Brazil) LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning early work from Egberto Gismonti – a really complex little record, and quite different than some of his better-known work as a spare acoustic soloist! Gismonti here is at the helm of a rich array of sounds – at one level, a soulful approach to MPB that rivals the best of Milton Nascimento in the 70s – but at another, filled with sharp changes and complicated arrangements that really move past any easy labels! There's a sense of surprise that really keeps things striking throughout – an avant piano line here, full soaring vocal there, funky electro riff the next moment, and a sensitive jazz solo at another point – always interwoven in ways that make complete sense – even amidst the rich array of sounds and colors. Titles include "Raga", "Baiao Malandro", "Cafe", "Educao Sentimental", "Bodas De Prata", "Critiana", and "As Primaveras". LP, Vinyl record album

Joao Selva has a great way of bridging classic Brazilian modes and contemporary sounds – a quality we loved on his debut, and which seems to be even more fully-formed here on his second release! Maybe that past/present quality is no surprise, though, when you consider that the record's a collaboration with Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart – a man who's given us so much great music over the years, often in ways that move between decades and global scenes – borrowing just the right bits, and making something really new and fresh in the process! Selva almost acts like a lyrical focus for the grooves of Patchworks – who's equally at home in a Brazilian setting as he is in other tropical modes – on titles that include "Meu Mano", "Cade Voce", "Navegar", "Se Voce", "Tudo Vai Dar Pe", and "Devagar". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from the man credited with the invention of bossa nova! Way back in the early 50s, Bud Shank cut some albums for Pacific Jazz in LA with guitarist Laurindo Almeida. These records mixed together Shank's flute and sax with lively guitar stylings by Almeida – and in many accounts, the recordings are quoted as being a seminal influence on the bossa scene in late 50s Brazil. No surprise, then, that when bossa broke in the US, Pacific Jazz took Shank back in the studio to cut more side in the same style – which is what you'll get on this excellent 2CD set! The work here ranges from 1962 to 1965 – and it features Shank playing in a number of groups: one with Clare Fisher piano, Larry Bunker vibes, and Milt Holland percussion; one with Fisher on piano and organ, Bunker on vibes, and Joe Pass on guitar; one with Joao Donato on piano and Rosinha De Valenca on guitar; and one with De Valenca on guitar and Sergio Mendes on piano. The 2CD set features 28 tracks in all – all pure stripped-down bossa jazz at its finest. Shank's a hell of a reed player – and the format gives him one of the best platforms to blow of his career. Titles include "Sambou Sambou", "Elizete", "Um Abraco No Bonfa", "Gostoso", "Joao", "Serenidade", "Silk Stop", "Sausalito", "Illusao", "Caminho De Casa", "Otem A Note", "Wistful Samba", "O Barquinho", and "Samba Guapo". (Jazz, Brazil) CD

A beautiful Brazilian album from the early 80s – one that has ties to some of the bigger world of MPB at the time, but which is much more obscure – given that Chico Lessa released the whole thing himself! The vibe is something in the territory of the corner club crowd that circled around Milton Nascimento – which is maybe no surprise, as Wagner Tiso handled some of the arrangements, and Marcio Borges helped write some of the songs – as did co-arranger Mauricio Maestro, who really helps to make the record sparkle! Like some of the best albums by Lo Borges, there's a wonderful balance going on here between tight production and open, honest presentation – so that the best studio touches never make things sound too slick or commercial, and instead really just amplify Chico's warm spirit at the core. Titles include "Bom De Doer", "Choveu", "Menina Dos Olhos", "Quebra Pedreira", "Veroes Azuis", and "E O Bicho Neu Deu". LP, Vinyl record album